


Parasite

by The_Wonderful_Jinx



Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: Alex figures it out, Arson, Gen, Revenge, dark!strand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 13:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6959140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Wonderful_Jinx/pseuds/The_Wonderful_Jinx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Getting a parasite is easy. Removing it is where the fun begins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parasite

Strand’s house is situated in the middle of a hilly, forest grove that is mostly composed of Douglas firs. It’s beautiful in the morning, gorgeous -albeit unnerving- in the night. The only problem is that the grove is infested with mistletoe, choking out the firs and replacing its needles with ghostly white berries that reflect the dying sunlight.

 _‘Mistletoe is one hell of a parasite. The only reason we still have it is so people can have an excuse make out in public during the  holidays,’_ her mother’s disembodied voice whispers in her head as Alex drives up the hill.

Anything can be a parasite; plants, animals, even people, as she has come to realize in the past months. But people do not have the luxury of having colorful berries and oval shaped leaves to warn others of their true nature.

Alex scolds herself as the gasoline sloshes. She should’ve seen it earlier. She should’ve seen through his deception.  She should’ve known better, that everything he promised was just too good to be true. She shouldn’t have let him in. She shouldn’t have given him the chance.

_‘Don’t beat yourself up, honey. Don’t waste what little energy you have left.’_

She was the forest grove and he was the parasite. Ulterior motives were hidden in the vines of pseudo-kind actions, spreading his decay with faux-sweet words. He took everything she had to feed his own desires. Everything he did, his gifts, his promises, his “love”, was only for himself.

She makes it up the hill and parks right next to Strand’s car. She pops the trunk open, but keeps the keys in the ignition and the door open. She has no intention of staying.  She lines the heavy cans in a row and when she is done, she stretches her arms, reaching up for the setting sun. She sighs, grabs the can near her, and begins her work.

Getting a parasite is easy. Removing it is where the fun begins. She scatters gasoline around the perimeter of the house, like a priest sprinkling holy water to the followers and believers. She prays for the sun to hold out for one more hour. She prays to God that Strand has gone to bed early, or at least inside and unaware so she can do her work in peace.

The smell burns her nose, but it only makes her move faster. She takes great care not spill any on herself. She brought ten containers. She wishes she could’ve gotten a fire truck, but it’s the best she could do in such a short amount of time.

Mistletoe is a sturdy and stubborn bastard. One cannot just uproot it or cut it off. It spreads and grows and comes back again. She can run like Coralee and Charlie, but he will track her down, pester her with phone calls, gifts, letters, and whatever else he can think of to wear her resolve down again.

Drastic times call for drastic measures.

 _‘And what do we do with a parasite?’_ her mother’s voice asks.

“You burn the fucker down,” she responds when she empties the last can.

It’s twilight when she strikes the match. The fire makes it look like dawn. She likes to think she hears a scream when she drives away, but she chalks it up to apophenia. She drives as fast and safely she can down the unforgiving hill terrain. She refuses to burn with him.

When she comes into the office the next day, no one comments on the scent of smoke and gasoline peeking out from floral perfume and fruity shampoo. She carries it like an ermine mantle. Nic and the interns only smile. For the first time, unprompted and given with consent, she smiles in return.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this, pleas let me know what you thought of it (and if there are any errors)!


End file.
